The Warriors were already in a hole after losing Game 1 to Denver, and they just sunk a lot deeper. Not only is Lee – who averaged 18.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game during Golden State’s only All-Star season since 1997 – a very good player, he means even more than that to the Warriors. With him on the court, they outscore opponents by 3.1 points per 100 possessions, best among the team’s rotation players. With him on the bench, they’re outscored by 2.4 points per 100 possessions, worst on the team.

Where does Mark Jackson go from here? It’s not clear. Carl Landry and Draymond Green will probably receive larger roles, but this is a huge adjustment for Golden State.

Lee is part of 13 of the Warriors’ 18 most-used five-man lineups. Four of the five lineups without him have been TERRIBLE – being outscored by 10.9, 19.1, 16.8 and 16.2 points per 100 possessions. The other Lee-less lineup, the only one that hasn’t been a total disaster, includes Andris Biedrins, who hasn’t played double-digit minutes since March 1, and Charles Jenkins, who was since traded to the 76ers.

Without Lee, the Warriors will have to re-invent themselves, and this is the worst time of year to do that.